My Journey to Health … Inside & Out!

Tag Archives: Christmas

The past week has been great for me. I went “home” for Christmas to my parent’s house.

I call it “home” because I think our parent’s home will always be home, but my apartment with my furries is my home.

DECEMBER 24

I flew in on Christmas Eve morning and Mom picked me up from the airport. The flight was great – none of the normal Penticton turbulence! We had a nice mellow day, made homemade pizza for dinner and Wayne made (cooked) saganaki for our appetizer.

Mom and I had a lovely hot tub before dinner … so nice because it was cold outside!

And since I was up at 5:00 am to catch my flight, I was actually falling asleep on the couch at 8:00 pm. So I retreated to my room and watched some CraveTV before going to sleep.

DECEMBER 25

On Christmas morning, I was up around 4:15 am … yes, what the f**k!? It wasn’t because I was Christmas-excited … I was just done sleeping. I stayed in bed watching YouTube until maybe 6:00 am.

Then we popped the champagne top and had some mimosas! Wayne was up around 7:00 am and we got settled for our stockings. Now … we agreed to do only stockings and a budget of $50 each.

So I was beyond surprised to have presents AND to have the $50 budget totally blown! I got the one item I asked for … a corksicle! And of course the usual socks! I also got my can of black olives and Christmas orange.

I also received gift cards from the Cactus Club, Sephora, BC Liquor Store, Walmart, and Costco! Plus Mom gave me a card with $100 cash! All in (cards and cash) I was up to $250 … and that doesn’t include the side gifts!

DECEMBER 26

Boxing Day I took Mom’s car and went to meet my bestie and her fam for lunch at Salty’s Beach House. Her man absolutely LOVES the Angry Chicken dish, so we know we can make it happen every year! It was so great to see her, her man (whom I introduced each other to!), her brother, her mom, and of course her 3 beautiful chicklets!

After lunch I popped across town and hit up Bulk Barn (because the closest to me in Vancouver is not close) for some nuts & seeds, and also Sally Beauty Supply (again, closest to me in Van is not close) for a glass nail file and more pure acetone.

Then I headed back to Mom’s where we were hosting an Open House for friends and family to come visit. We ended up having 15 – 20 people attend and it was a great afternoon. My grandma (Mom’s mom) and her new guy even attended!

By 5:00 pm everyone, except our close friend Jimmy and his girlfriend, had headed out, so I was able to turn on the TV for the IIHF World Junior Championship hockey tournament and the Team Canada game!

I finished watching the game in my room and then started to get a headache. So I had a hot shower and headed to bed … around 8:30 pm.

DECEMBER 27

On the 27th my flight was set to take off at 6:55 pm, so I needed to be at the airport around 5:45 pm. However, I opted to have my folks take me there around 3:45 pm as they were bickering and I don’t tolerate it well at all. I felt, for my own sanity and to avoid further anxiety, that I should leave their house and spend more than necessary alone at the (small) airport.

Luckily the time went by quickly, I was able to watch the Team Canada hockey game live through the TSN GO app, and right around 6:55 pm the plane was in the air.

By 8:45 pm I was home, unpacked and loving my fur babies!

DECEMBER 28

On the 28th I didn’t do much. I went to Costco to pick up some cauliflower, frozen fruit (pineapple & mango), chicken “nuggets” (I dislike the work nugget as I feel it suggests formed meat … but the pieces I got are from chicken breast), and romaine lettuce.

Next I headed to Safeway and got some garlic, tart shells (going to make more mini quiches), tahini, rosemary, chicken broth … and maybe more!

I made a quick batch of roasted cauliflower & garlic soup. It was so simply … literally roasted cauliflower and garlic, and chicken broth!

DECEMBER 29

On the 29th I met up with a friend from my Saskatchewan days – we hadn’t seen each other since the summer of 2010! We went for lunch and I had planned on walking around to show her some of Vancouver … but it was raining … a lot!

So after lunch we simply went on our way. I got her to the skytrain and on her way, then headed to Indigo and picked up the FitBook to keep me on track and focused in the new year.

Then I decided to check Bath & Body Works for the Winter Cedar candle that I received for Christmas from a manager, and they had them … ON SALE!!! So I got 2 of them, and 3 new body lotions (also on sale)!

Finally I stopped into Sephora and used my GC to get some new liquid eyeliner and mascara.

At home I watched the next Team Canada game.

DECEMBER 30

On the 30th I picked up some more cat food as the prices are going up effective January 1st. I also treated myself to a movie (La La Land), of course with a water and popcorn!

After the movie, which was a matinee, I remembered I had a $15 gift card from Joey Restaurant, so I headed down the block and had some yam fries and a couple of Happy Hour beers!

On the way to the movie I stopped into the Robert Lee YMCA and got some details on pricing and what’s included. At work, we get a $500 annual taxable fitness benefit (reimbursement) and I’ve been contemplating what to use it on. The YMCA is $60 per month (plus tax, of course) … so a full year would only cost me about $300 out of pocket. And in the $60 monthly fee you get access to EVERYTHING … pool … gym … gymnasium … aquafit classes … fitness classes …

And an added bonus is that they are waiving the $50 sign-up fee until the end of January. So I am highly considering signing up on the 1st. I would like to give it a try … test out the classes … definitely do some swimming!

DECEMBER 31

Today is now New Years Eve! My plans for tonight are the same as they are almost every year … probably get woken up by the fireworks! LOL

I was considering making a nice meal and renting a movie (Shaw on Demand … likely the movie “Sully“) … but I woke up wanting pizza. And not just any pizza but my favorite pizza from Famoso! It takes me about 45 minutes by skytrain and bus to get to the restaurant, but I’m willing to take that time out of my day for this pizza – especially tonight! I’ll have to call them when they open to find out what time they are open until.

Team Canada plays Team USA at 12:30 pm, so I’m booked watching the game until at least 3:30 pm.

I did some great YMCA planning and made Sriracha Chicken Caesar Salad for dinner.

I’m pretty well caught up on The Affair … so perhaps I’ll move on to renting a movie!

Happy New Year to all my readers and followers! I look forward to a stunning 2017!!!

There were 3 of us at the office in our group. So I plugged away at some tasks, did some Merry Christmas saying, and headed out the door around 1:30 pm.

On the way home I stopped by Pomme Natural Market and picked up a few more flavors of kombucha. I had planned on taking a couple bottles with me to my folk’s place … but then thought twice about packing them in my checked bag …

The bottles say “do not shake” so I thought it may not be best to pack them in a bag that will get tossed around. So I could forgo having any for 4 days, or I could stop and pick up a couple of bottles when I get into town.

I did one load of laundry, opting to wait until I’m back before washing my duvet cover. I’ve packed … and decided to keep to sweat pants/lululemon/pj bottoms and leave my jeans (that are feeling too tight) at home.

I ordered Pizza Hut for dinner and now I have not only a food baby, but I feel like going into a food coma pretty quick! The crust at Pizza Hut has to be a favorite of mine for take-out pizza.

“Ever wonder how Santa manages to deliver all those presents in just one night? Well here’s the hush-hush formula. He uses a special combination of Chinese black tea, peppermint leaves and spices – all sprinkled with real little candy canes. It’s both energizing and remarkably soothing. All Santa needs is one cup and his motto changes from “ho ho ho” to “go go go”.”

I decided to have Day 24 on Blogmas Day 23 as the option for Day 23 is a chai blend and I’m not a fan of chai. So that actually means that I’ve left Day 21 and Day 23 untouched (Day 21 because I couldn’t open the tin).

This tea almost tastes like cotton candy with a hint of peppermint! It’s really cute with itsy little candy canes, too! If this one is around after Christmas (next week maybe) I will get some more.

Tomorrow I won’t be posting for Blogmas as I’m leaving the house for the airport at 6:30 am and won’t be taking my computer with me.

I want to thank all that have joined me on my very first Blogmas journey and I hope it hasn’t been too mundane! This is simply my life and while it’s pretty simple, it’s very enjoyable!

If there is anything you’d like to suggest for content, please be sure to check out my Contact page!

Another manager left me a small box of Merci chocolates. And the partner of the group gave me a bottle of wine and a gift card to a group of restaurants!

I was going to return some Old Navy items I’d ordered online, but after getting the Christmas treats, my bag was heavy and I decided to wait until tomorrow for the return.

I came home, fed the furries and had a shower to wash my hair. Then I did my nails, had some wine and then remembered I still needed to have my Advent Calendar tea!

Advent Calendar Day 22:English Toffee

“Need a toffee break? This rich and decadent, all-natural blend of pu’erh, cocoa beans and caramel is the perfect sweet treat. With its mouth-watering aromas of caramel and browned butter, even steeping it feels like a luxury. But with all the benefits of pu’erh – and next to no calories – this is one little indulgence you can feel great about drinking. Try it with hot frothed milk and a shot of coffee liqueur. It just doesn’t get sweeter than that.”

It smells lightly like English toffee and the taste is slight too. I like English toffee, but thought this tea might be a bit sweet. I was pleasantly surprised to the (nice) lack of sweet!

I’m hoping for a 1/2 day tomorrow. None of the managers will be in-office, and while I have stuff that I could do that I’ve been putting off, I would like to scoot away early!

What did I do yesterday … aside from totally forgetting to type blogmas and forgetting the advent calendar!?

We had our admin Christmas social and I’ll use that as an excuse because there were mimosas and wine!

After work I had my cat-sitter over for a visit and a nice visit. We go over things that have changed from last time she sat and talk and drink wine! LOL

Advent Calendar Day 20:Cardamom French Toast

“Something about cardamom just puts us in a festive frame of mind. We love its rich, fragrant taste any way we can get it. One of our faves? The buttery, cardamom-scented Christmas breads popular in Sweden and Finland. And since cardamom toast is so great, it only stands to reason that cardamom French toast would be out of this world. With black tea, cardamom, cane sugar and cinnamon, this rich, sweet blend tastes just like the decadent breakfast of our dreams. Only this is one brunch item you’ll be wanting all day long.”

This one definitely smells like cinnamon. And tastes like it, too. But it’s not one that I’m over the moon with. It’s lacking the french toast side!

Now – this tea was sampled today, on Blogmas Day 21 …

BLOGMAS DAY 21

I didn’t sleep well last night in anticipation of my doctor’s appointment to review my blood work.

I headed out the door around 7:50 am and was able to get in early to see my doctor. While the results weren’t good, I was more put off by one of her comments.

She said (something along the line of) “maybe this will make you do something about your health”. WHAT!? Are you fucking kidding me!?

Let’s review …

My weight is down. Not much, but down is DOWN!

My cholesterol is on point!

My blood pressure (which used to be sky high and I used to be on meds for it) is also on point!

So my blood sugar is going up. Last November it was at 6.5 and this December it is at 7.2 and this is not good. When you receive 2 readings above 7, you’re diagnosed a diabetic. I’ve always had readings in the 6’s … making me pre-diabetic.

But also, diabetes is very apparent in my family. Both my grandmas have diabetes. I believe both grandpas also have it, too. And I know (and truly believe) that our genetics are NOT our destiny.

Last year when my reading was 6.5, my doctor recommended that I speak with a nutritionist – which I did. And the nutritionist looked at my food diary and recommended that I DON’T CHANGE MY DIET as it’s relatively great as compared to many people’s diet.

So my doctor agrees that I don’t need to change my diet. But suggests that I do more cardio.

And I walk … a LOT … most of the year. In Vancouver, it rains … a LOT … and that creates a deterrent to getting outside for a walk. So while most (dry weather) work days has me walking to work (2.25 km = 26 minutes) and potentially home from work (2.25 km = 26 minutes), she wants me to “aim to do 30 – 45 minutes of cardio 3 times a week at lunch”.

I’m bummed out. It’s not the diagnosis I hoped for. But I’m not giving up (ok I kind of did for a bit today, but that’s just me being all “woe is me”). I’ll “aim” to do 30 – 45 minutes of cardio 3 times per week … and I’m preparing for a better result on my follow-up test which I’ve scheduled for March 15, 2017.

As for Advent Calendar Day 21 … I couldn’t open the tin. Maybe tomorrow I’ll have 2 teas!

So it snowed yesterday. And it snowed over night. And rained. And froze.

And since it rarely snows in Vancouver … then rained, then froze … the city stopped.

The buses weren’t functioning. Cabs were nowhere to be seen. Which left me to walking to work.

And since it was already 4 degrees, the frozen rained-on snow was melting … fast. So I was walking through puddles on puddles on puddles!

Luckily I have waterproof winter boots! Which reminds me … I should re-spray them soon!

Here’s a drinking game I played at work today:

Also since it snowed, and rained, and froze … my co-workers didn’t make it to the office. Out of the 7 people who aren’t on holidays, 1 made it in! LOL

I was productive, but I don’t know what I did.

On Friday I had some bloodwork done and the tech said the results will take about 3 days. What I didn’t expect was 3 calendar days (or less)! My doctor’s office called this morning and my doctor wants to see me … meaning my results aren’t good. I go in Wednesday morning, so I’m trying not to stress and worry.

After work, I stopped by Safeway and picked up what I needed to make BBQ Chicken Caesar Salad.

Advent Calendar Day 19:Organic Sweet Almond Green

“Our favourite part of the holiday season? The treats, of course. And those little almond-scented cookies have an extra-special place in our hearts. Buttery and sweet, with the nutty crunch of an almond on top, they’re a dangerously delicious part of any festive cookie spread. But with a nutty kiss of almond and an organic base of green tea, this sweet and subtle tea is our guilt-free version of the classic treat. Because indulging yourself should have no strings attached.”

The almond aroma is intense! Although … upon further wafting … it smelled very “artificial extract” like. It tastes a bit artificial, too, but it’s an ok flavor.

What a snowy day here in Vancouver!! It seriously did not stop snowing all day long!

I was up early … like 5:00 am early. Just because. Well just because, and my bladder, and a headache …

But I was able to get back to sleep and slept until around 7:30 am when Waszabi decided I had slept long enough and she was hungry!

I fed the furries and then went back to bed to hang out. I watched a bit more of The Affair and just enjoyed my morning.

When I got hungry, I had a couple of mini quiches and yesterday’s advent tea. Then I got my shit together and took care of a few things …

Vacuumed the apartment. The filled up my Bissell Little Green carpet cleaner and did quite a bit of spot-cleaning … thanks to Waszabi (she tends to bring up almost every morning because she’s hungry and wants fresh water).

I also was able to get 2 large loads of laundry done … one of clothes and one of sheets & duvet cover. I’ll do another round (probably 2 more loads) on Friday evening so that I can have clean stuff when I get back from my folks’ from Christmas.

But aside from those few chores, I haven’t done much! It was nice to have the day Friday to get errands done, and to have 2 full weekend days to really do nothing! Today was especially nice because I could sit on the couch and watch the snow falling outside!

Advent Calendar Day 18:Sleigh Ride

“Falling snow, popping chestnuts, cold hands and noses… yep, winter has arrived. But don’t worry, we have the perfect tea to warm you up all December long. Cinnamon, apples, raisins, almonds, and hibiscus combine for a tea that is sweet, tart and earthy. And beet pieces make it as nice and rosy as a caroler’s cheeks. So hop in your sleigh, snuggle up, and pass a thermos around. It’s lovely weather for a Sleigh Ride together.”

WOW! This tea really stands up to its description! I could absolutely smell the cinnamon when I opened the tin, but now that it’s been steeped and cooled a bit, I can really taste the cinnamon, the sweetness of apple, a bit of raisins, and for sure chestnuts! WOW! This one is awesome!

This blogmas is coming to you from the future … because I was in bed early with a headache and didn’t get to blogging!

Saturday! I didn’t do much – it was quite a boring day by most people’s standards!

In the morning I cleaned the kitchen. I went to the grocery store to pick up some black beans.

In the afternoon I made the Dressed to the Nines Sweet Potatoes from Meghan Telpner‘s The UnDiet Cookbook (seriously LOVE this recipe!)

I’ve signed up for a 1-month free trial of CraveTV so that I can watch the 1st season of The Affair. I can get season 2 and the current season 3 on demand through my TV provider.

I’ve been battling a headache since about Wednesday and yesterday it became much more apparent. I still feel it this morning, so I don’t plan on doing much of anything today (except laundry … I MUST do laundry!)

Advent Calendar Day 17:Chocolate Covered Almond

“Sweet, crunchy and totally addictive, chocolate almonds are a classic for a reason. Whether you want to satisfy a sweet tooth, need an afternoon pick-me-up or are looking for the perfect holiday treat to serve your guests, the answer is always an almond covered in a thick layer of chocolate. And this rich and nutty black tea is every bit as tasty. It’s got cocoa, carob and tons of yummy almond bits, plus an energizing shot of roasted yerba mate to add a warming toasted almond flavour. This little indulgence is so good, you won’t even realize you’ve gone back for seconds.”

I brewed this tea as per normal … water from my metal kettle that was sounding warm, but not boiling. Then I popped in a few ice cubes to cool it further so that I could drink it now and not have to wait 30+ minutes for it to cool! I smell the chocolate but don’t necessarily smell the almond. But this is a very enjoyable tea!

And I was awoken around 1:00 am by another fire truck outside the building across the street!

I wasn’t able to get back to sleep right away, so I brought out some cookbooks and flagged pages of recipes I’d like to try. I am thinking a goal for 2017 will be to try at least 1 new recipe each week!

Anyways, after I finally did get back to sleep, the time went quickly! I woke up just before my 7:00 am alarm. After getting ready to the basic level, I headed out the door and walked up to the lab for some blood work.

I stopped at Shoppers on my way back, and when I got home I finished getting ready for the day. I had a couple other medical appointments, but let’s not bore you with those details!

I walked to Old Navy as I received an email that their pajama bottoms were on for $6 each … so I grabbed 2 new pairs. I also grabbed what we think are neck warmers … not quite sure I will use them, so I may just return them … they were only $2 each!

I also picked up two new sports bras without trying them on. Later when I got home and tried them on, they both fit, but one is a much better fit than the other … so I ended up going online and ordering a couple more. Bonus is that Old Navy has guaranteed delivery by December 23rd!

After Old Navy, I popped into Pacific Centre mall … I needed some tee tree toner from The Body Shop and I wanted to stop by DAVIDsTEA to pick up a gift certificate for my cat sitter.

Next I was heading to my hair stylist (Kendall at Stratosphere Salon) for a trim, and after, decided to go to Meet in Gastown for lunch. It’s a very popular vegan restaurant (2nd location) and since I was nearby, the timing was perfect.

I browsed the menu and ordered a Snake Bite (lager & cider) to drink, and the (Chiggin) Whiskey BBQ Caesar Salad for lunch. It was really quite good … and I’d like to go back another time to try one of their burgers.

Next up was Costco! My list consisted of bananas and spinach … and I did get that, as well as a bag of sweet potatoes, a bag of Boom Chicka Pop Sea Salt popcorn, and a large Toblerone bar (to enjoy with my parents)!

Ok finally I made my way home. Then I remembered I wanted to check the health store down the road for a brand of Kombucha that a co-worker shared with me, and I needed to make a payment on my Line of Credit.

Wow – what a busy day!

The afternoon (say, after 2:00 pm perhaps) has been more relaxing. I’ve enjoyed yesterday’s Advent Calendar tea, made a batch of mini quiches, and watched a bit of Homeland.

Advent Calendar Day 15:Coconut Cream Pie

“Rich coconut. Creamy white chocolate. And a golden, buttery crust. Can anything top a coconut cream pie? It’s a dessert so dreamy, so fluffy, it’s like eating a deliciously retro cloud. If we had our way, we’d be snacking on coconut-filled custard 24/7. Lucky for us, this tea came along. It’s an unbelievably decadent blend of toasted coconut, white chocolate and cane sugar, all on a base of smooth-drinking oolong. The best part? It’s an all-natural blend. We’ve got pie hopes for this one…”

This tea smelled like fresh coconut and when I took the first few sips, I was brought back to a Jamaican morning eating fresh young coconut flesh! Wow – really a nice tea!

“The ancient Chinese used it in medicine. The medieval Europeans traded for it along the Silk Road. And today we love it in pies, sauces, muffins or just plain, dipped in a little sugar. But the best way to eat rhubarb is with sweet, ripe strawberries. Like in this refreshingly fruity, deep red tisane. It tastes as bright and juicy as a fresh-picked berry, with a tart rhubarb punch and a subtle hint of yogurt creaminess. We love it hot or iced, or as the base for sweet, zippy sangria. Now that’s a beautiful thing.”

The aroma from this tea is wonderful! I can smell ripe strawberries, but not so much the rhubarb … perhaps I taste the tartness of rhubarb, however. Also in the smell comes a bit of … maybe ice cream, or likely yogurt, since it’s a parfait!

Anyways, it’s nice that today is just Friday and I still have 2 more days off. I haven’t anything planned for this weekend … aside from a major apartment clean!

None of it happened. Another day went by and I really couldn’t tell you what I did for 7 1/2 hours!

I’m off tomorrow for a medical day. One appointment I have is to get my blood drawn and rechecked for the possibility of being pre-diabetic. And honestly, I don’t want to know the results. I want to be blind and oblivious to it.

I’m sure I’ll get the results before Christmas … I need to have the results before Christmas.

But since I have to fast before this blood work, I am going to forgo my Advent Calendar tea choice for today. I usually have my tea in the 8 o’clock hour, and that’s when I’d like to start fasting. I’m only required to fast for 10 hours, but I’d like to fast for 12 hours just to give my body that extra 2 hours to digest and rid itself of the sugar.

I was going to eat really healthy today so as to possibly skew the results … but that would be lying to myself even more. So I had my normal shake for breakfast, opted for a soup & sandwich for lunch, and had some oven-heated focaccia bread with artichoke dip for dinner.

Aside from my other appointments tomorrow, I am getting my hair cut … ok, trimmed! And I’d like to go see The Office Christmas Party.

I started to get a headache around 9:30 am, so I drank some water and took some Tylenol. I then had my morning smoothie and more water.

I was feeling a bit like a bug was taking over my body and that I was fighting it. I’m hoping that a good night’s sleep with assist in feeling 100% tomorrow!

I had a nice lunch from Jugo Juice which consisted of the Kale Chicken Caesar flatbread and a Watermelon Wiggle smoothie.

In the afternoon I had a package arrive that I had ordered from Society6 … this one contained the “plain” black hoodie I ordered … but it is “plain” because it has the phases of the moon on the back. Best is that it fits!

I spent an hour setting up for our work Team Social … those who attended all had great comments and praises on the spread and turn out!

Advent Calendar Day 14:Irish Breakfast

“Ireland is one of the biggest tea drinking countries around. And trust us, they know their stuff. Traditionally, they go for strong black tea, often simmered on the stove all day long. And this rich, full bodied black tea is no exception. A blend of teas from Assam and Sri Lanka, it brews up nutty, fruity and bold, with hints of wild dark honey – and a robust taste that can stand up to a bit of milk and sugar. If there’s a better way to start the day, we don’t wanna know about it.”

I taste the black tea side of this … but also perhaps it tastes a bit like an Orange Pekoe? This is a nice blend and while it is medium caffeine, I’m hopeful for the “normal” caffeine affect for me! It does say that it would fare well with a bit of milk and sugar … but I don’t add anything to my tea …